Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Creative Connections
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
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| Mandy Patmore - Mixed-media environmental artist | 09 Sep 2024 | 01:23:11 | |
Mandy Patmore is a multi-media environmental artist living in Karekare, on Auckland’s west coast. Primarily a painter, Mandy's current work focuses largely on deforestation and habitat loss in New Zealand, and the plight of many endangered native species, whilst exploring themes of colonisation and human impact on our landscape. I find the work Mandy does in the community, with the environment and her own art practice super inspiring and this is a fantastic episode I know you'll gain many things from. We talk about the Piha domain footbridge project she completed in 2009 which won the NZ Recreation Association Award for most outstanding project and other projects she has done to highlight environmental issues. Mandy tells us all about the Kōkano Youth Arts Collective which was developed from a pilot programme in 2013 as a response to recognising the needs of some of the most vulnerable young people in West Auckland; all of whom have struggled with mainstream education. She shares the challenges and highlights of working with at risk youth and what she has learnt. We talk about how Mandy manages all the things in her life and how they all connect, her art practice, her love of using found surfaces and timber to paint on, why she wants to diversify within her art practice, who and what has influenced her practice. We discuss funding, self doubt and how she sometimes feels some form of shame around creating realistic works that may seem more about beautification than the message she is trying to convey. As this episode goes live Mandy will be listening from her latest residency in Peru, which I'm following with fascination on her socials.
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| Dita Angeles - Contemporary Fine Artist | 02 Sep 2024 | 01:34:50 | |
Born and raised in Auckland, Dita Angeles completed her BFA at Whitecliffe College in 2004 before spending the majority of her career in Asia and more recently Australia. With a strong background in portraiture - social presentation, perception and persuasion are the dominant themes that run through Dita's work. Her paintings are inspired by existential philosophies and 20th century aesthetics, and depict social issues and personal moments that incorporate the spectacle of contemporary culture, paying close attention to behaviour, ego, identity and anonymity. We have a fascinating honest chat about the difficulties of moving to other countries and trying to maintain an art practice, creating new contacts and artistic communities and then also the challenges of returning to NZ and again building her community and promoting her work. Dita talks about a traumatic medical event she experienced in Hong Kong which left her disabled and how this has affected her life. She speaks of her photographic practice, how important composition is for her, how she has to see something to paint it and likes to use her own photography or found images for her work with an emphasis on anonymity and how she sometimes uses herself as a subject but in that case sees herself as a character playing a role. We talk about her striking upcoming show #Iconograph, which is showing at The Grey Place in Auckland from September 3rd - September 14th 2024. We discuss the symbols in these works such as leather and sunglasses and the icon references she incorporates. Dita talks in depth about other portraiture series of works - The Post Mod Wallflowers which she showed at the Auckland Art Show in 20, The Gentleman's Club referencing the Me Too movement and her ongoing series Compositions of Identity which are thought provoking cropped images of people at a party in the mid 20th century. We discuss her amazing painting "It's love" of NZ musician Chris Knox which is a finalist in the Adam Portraiture award 2024, and how this came about. And she shares how people often don't connect her as the artist of her work and how anti-climatic it feels for her when she finishes a painting. And so much more!
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| Jamie Adamson - Sculptor | 14 Jul 2024 | 01:10:47 | |
Jamie Adamson is a sculptor based in East Auckland. He works in a range of materials including rimu, pine, oak, pohutukawa, maple, walnut and steel. The timber pieces utilise steam bending techniques; while the steel works involve meticulous welding to create seamless forms. With a background in boat building, design and business, Jamie now works full time on his sculptural art practice. In this episode Jamie shares how and why he started making sculptures in 2013, the success of his first solo show at Railway Street Gallery + Studios, some random positive feedback he received from a guy who turned out to be no other than artist Billy Apple and how he went on to have more sell out solo shows early in his art career. He speaks about how he manages showing his work with 5 galleries across Aotearoa plus commissions and art shows such as Art in the Park and why he still likes to exhibit at some of the school art shows. Although he admits he finds talking about his work difficult, when he starts speaking about his fascinating process with both wood and steel he gets on a roll. His passion and drive is really evident and infectious. I really enjoyed chatting to Jamie. Ngā mihi nui, thank you so much to Turua Gallery for kindly sponsoring this episode https://turuagallery.co.nz DUALITY Jamie Adamson & Georgina Hoby Scutt 26 July - 7 August 2024 Opening night from 5pm, Friday 26 July “Duality" unites the wonderful warm tones of both Georgina’s painted landscapes & still life with Jamie’s wood wall sculptures.
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| Toipoto - Creative Career Mentoring, with Dina Jezdic | 28 Apr 2022 | 00:33:51 | |
Toipoto (which means Closer Together in Te Reo Maori)) is a free mentoring programme for the creative sector in Auckland NZ. Developed from The Big Idea's popular Mentoring in the Arts format, Toipoto has been expertly designed for those starting out or looking to build momentum in their creative journey, who are driven to build a sustainable and rewarding career in the arts. Toipoto helps you connect with the people and pulse of the arts sector and gives you the tools and tips you need to thrive. It doesn’t matter what your creative background is - visual artist, performance artist, event planner, producer, game developer, musician or the countless other disciplines the arts sector embraces - Toipoto has mentors with real-life knowledge and experience to help make your career sustainable and rewarding. You can learn more about this amazing creative mentoring programme and potential opportunity at thebigidea.nz/toipoto Ko koe tēnā ko au tēnei kīwai o te Kete You take that handle and I'll take this handle of the kete. Working together we will succeed.
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| Eric Schusser - Photographer | 21 Apr 2022 | 01:03:40 | |
Eric Schusser is a photographer from Central Otago in New Zealand. He has a diverse style and portfolio that includes social documentary, abstract works and fine art imagery. His work is often project based and he's fascinated by the power of text and photo together.
Eric's photographic practice is expanding and he is developing an interest in the abstract beauty to be found in urban spaces and to appreciate people more and the importance of telling stories. Eric is intrigued by photo books and has published 4 books, 2 of which are collaborative works with his wife Annemarie Hope- Cross, exploring her journey with breast cancer and his role as caregiver. He wants his viewer to make an emotional intimate connection to an image, project or photo story where something resonates with their life experience, their humanity. This intimate, emotional style reflects his involvement over thirteen years as both a search and rescue volunteer and thirty plus years as a volunteer frontline ambulance officer/ EMT. You can see images of Eric's beautiful photographs on our blog which is on our website https://www.creativematters.co.nz/post/creative-matters-with-eric-schusser Eric has some truly moving messages for sufferers and carers going through cancer and how creativity and collaboration has helped him and his wife Annemarie through the tough times, as well as a super interesting story about his creative journey and practice. You can hear Annemarie's story on our previous episode, episode 39.
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| Annemarie Hope-Cross - Photographic Artist | 14 Apr 2022 | 01:12:09 | |
EPISODE 39: Photographic artist Annemarie Hope-Cross was born in Wellington NZ, grew up in Auckland and has lived in Alexandra, Central Otago, since 2008. Annemarie uses three historic processes that date back 180 years to early pioneering photography techniques, some of which are referred to as camera-less photography. Her mousetrap camera is set up outside in her back garden. It takes six to eight hours to create the images and a lot of hoping the weather does not change in the meantime. Annemarie works intuitively; aware, but not restrained by those who have gone before. She makes images to comment, to appreciate our world and to satisfy her heart and mind. She shares her work hoping that the images she makes will speak to others. In August 2017 Annemarie was diagnosed with a rare triple negative, aggressive form of breast cancer at the age of 49. She wants to tell people ''the positive stories of breast cancer', of ploughing through, taking on challenge and accepting the changes cancer can bring." As Annemarie and her husband Eric Schusser are both photographers they are in the unique position of being able to work together and put on paper the journey many go through as sufferers and carers dealing with cancer.
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| Erika Pearce - Multi disciplinary Artist | 07 Apr 2022 | 01:21:45 | |
Erika Pearce is a multi-disciplinary artist born in Auckland Aotearoa NZ and now based in the beautiful Bay of Islands. She is well known for her large scale murals, vibrant artwork and strong female portraits. Her mural artwork can be found throughout New Zealand, from Northland to Bluff, as well as in Fiji, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and the USA. Erika is a dedicated ocean conservationist and is deeply motivated to inspire communities to care for and protect their coastlines and surrounding waters. The creation of her large scale ocean murals has a really positive impact by opening up conversations with people of all ages. She is inspired by plants, animals, the ocean and our human connection to the natural world. When she is not painting, she can be found out in the garden tending her dahlias, raiding the veggie patch or hanging out with her ducks. Hear about Erika's varied art practice, the amazing process of creating a large scale mural, Erika's philosophies on working and living intuitively and living your best life, her passion for dressing up and the Burning Man festival and soo much more! https://www.facebook.com/erikapearceartist
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| Philippa Bentley - Multi Disciplinary Artist | 24 Mar 2022 | 01:08:45 | |
Philippa Bentley is a multi-disciplinary artist inspired by nature, with ecology and environmental concerns at the heart of her work. While primarily known as a painter and printmaker, Philippa incorporates a range of media and processes in her art practice. She is interested in the intersection of art, design, science and technology and the possibilities this brings." "We are an island nation" explains Philippa - "New Zealand begins with the sea and ends with the sea - and we all have a relationship with the water. Listen to the sea, it has something to say to you." It is not surprising that Philippa's work is so connected to and informed by the sea and reflects her careful observation and love of the natural world, overlaid with a layer of contemplation. Philippa has become increasingly concerned with the global impact of environmental issues and this has been reflected in the development of her work over the last few years. Sea charts have become her symbol of navigating our way forward, plotting a course through these troubled, uncharted waters. https://www.instagram.com/philippabentley She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Lucy Davidson - Contemporary Landscape Painter | 18 Mar 2022 | 01:04:34 | |
Lucy Davidson is a contemporary landscape painter from the Tutukaka Coast in Northland NZ, currently living in Auckland. Her abstract paintings explore the notion that nature and human emotion are interconnected and affect each other. To Lucy, Memories are inherent in our natural landscape and she uses colour to highlight the things we might miss in our daily encounters with natural elements. Her experiences at Elam School of Fine Arts (Auckland NZ) and in the film, TV and design industries in twenties have informed her painting practice and she is now a full time artist at the age of 30. She has created a busy practice and an inspiring life for herself that allows for freedom, flexibility and creativity. https://www.facebook.com/lucydartist/ https://www.instagram.com/lucyd_art/?hl=en She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Jenny McLeod - Contemporary Glass Artist | 10 Mar 2022 | 01:15:02 | |
Jenny McLeod is a contemporary glass artist from West Auckland, NZ. She creates quality, original functional glassware, sculpture, garden art, installation and exhibition work and enjoys using glass for a modern environment in a non-fragile way. Her two 6 cubic foot kilns in her workshop at home give her the control required to fuse and slump cut and layered sheet glass. Much of her work is mixed media , incorporating a variety of materials including concrete, resin beads, wood, pumice, shells, feathers and a NZ native fibre, Harakeke. Jenny enjoys working with all these materials and is inspired by their natural quality and the unlimited possibilities of combining them with glass. Jenny's Whitianga farming upbringing on the Coromandel Peninsula in NZ, nature and the Pacific are constant reference points and inspiration for her work. http://www.jmcleodglass.co.nz/ https://www.facebook.com/JennyMcLeodGlass https://www.instagram.com/jennymcleodglass/
She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Rosemary Eagles - Contemporary Painter | 03 Mar 2022 | 01:13:09 | |
Rosemary Eagles is an established contemporary NZ artist living in Auckland. She has with a deep appreciation of nature and the beauty of Aotearoa New Zealand. Her work captures vibrant impressions of native trees, plants and flowers and strata land formations with an unrestrained use of texture and colour, depicting her expressions of these different environments and the things within them, discovered on her walks and travels around NZ. Rosemary’s recent works depict mānuka trees in Tāwharanui, “where rolling land meets the sea”. This regional park is a treasured place for Rosemary and the mānuka trees are a special source of inspiration. "From the simplest form of a single flower bud" says Rosemary, "through to the wonderful rock formations on our coastal beaches, bursting Harakeke Flax flowers with chocolate brown pods, to the wild and free flowing Toi Toi on our West Coast beaches. Just stopping and taking another look opens up endless fresh painting inspirations" Art by the Sea Gallery http://www.artbythesea.co.nz/Rosemaryeagles Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rosemaryeaglesnzartist/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rosemaryeagles/ She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| John Botton - Photographer and Fine Art Printer | 24 Feb 2022 | 01:09:59 | |
John Botton is a fine art photographer and a digital giclée inkjet printer who holds a Fellowship from the Photographic Society of New Zealand. He's also an entrepreneur and self confessed 'Technical Geek' and is the founder and CEO of Print Art: Fine Art Imaging - a company well known and loved by many NZ artists. John is a true supporter of artists and their process. He sees his fine art printing business as much as a printing business as an "enabling business" for artists and photographers. He's a people person and has created a community amongst NZ artists and his business is like part of the family for many New Zealand artists. John speaks of his passion for Namibia, the dichotomy of desert environments, his small business learning curves, marrying the "technical geek" with the creative, his perception of failure, the importance of having a mentor, how the artists he works with inspire him and the strong community he has built with NZ artists - amongst many other things. https://www.artcollective.co.nz/
She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Beatrice Carlson - Inter-disciplinary Artist | 09 Dec 2021 | 01:15:31 | |
EPISODE 32: Beatrice Carlson is an interdisciplinary artist, a visual artist, printmaker and contemporary jeweller. http://www.beatricecarlson.com Born in France, she has been living and making in Devonport, Aotearoa NZ for the last 16 years. Beatrice has always been interested in shapes and textures in her interdisciplinary art practice - from visual art to costume design to printmaking and now to adornment jewellery. Beatrice currently sees herself as a contemporary jewellery artist and silver is her latest preferred medium. Her work is influenced by the different media and techniques she used in her fashion design background and speaks of Aotearoa NZ and her French ancestry, and how precious the connection is between them both. She has been a finalist in the World of Wearable Art Awards 10 times and a finalist in a number of art competitions, most recently in the Parkin Drawing prize. Beatrice tells of the amazingly wide range of materials she likes to use in her work including silver, perspex, gold leaf, pounamu as well as less common medium such as scoria, chicken feet skin, beetle wings and salmon skin leather. She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Pam Wildbore - Contemporary artist | 07 Jul 2024 | 01:12:13 | |
Pam Wildbore is a contemporary artist from Hastings now living in Napier. Pam is a resin and acrylic artist who began her art practice only 4 years ago. Since then she has had 7 solo shows, participated twice at the NZ Art Show with a sellout show of her work in 2023, and is currently preparing for at Art in the Park 2024. We have such a great chat covering topics from the creativity of hairdressing and my softball fears in high school to how Pam first got her work out there and then found herself exhibiting at the NZ Art Show only 3 years later. Pam unpacks everything resin: the products she likes to use; the discoveries she has made along the way using this medium; how she adds opaque and transparent pigments; her techniques for painting with resin and how she adds layers and finishing touches to her paintings. We also talk about things like pricing, marketing, imposter syndrome, her love of colour, her different collections and what she wants to say through her beautiful paintings - including the cheeky coded messages in her code collection works. Pam's story as a reasonably new practising artist is inspiring and she has many helpful insights into starting a career.
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| Kathryn Wilson - Shoe Designer | 02 Dec 2021 | 01:18:35 | |
Kathryn Wilson is NZ’s most successful shoe designer. She created her brand Kathryn Wilson at the age of 23 in 2003 with a dream to “make beautiful shoes for cool people” and go big. And that she certainly did! Kathryn Wilson is now an internationally renowned footwear brand, a household name in NZ and one of NZ’s fastest-growing fashion brands Kathryn hosted a New Zealand first, exclusive footwear runway show at New Zealand Fashion Week in 2010 and In 2011 she opened her first retail store in the form of a pop-up shoe box that travelled New Zealand, which was later joined by three stand-alone boutiques in Auckland and recently a fourth store in Wellington. She has a large, ever growing online presence and following through her website www.kathrynwilson.com and social media Kathryn is a well respected business woman leader, ambassador, entrepreneur and known for her generosity in sharing her knowledge, skills, time and acute business acumen. She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Creative Matters Q + A | 26 Nov 2021 | 00:45:44 | |
Describe your studio. What tricks or ideas do you have to make the space work well for you and your creative process? In this episode NZ artists Terri-Ann Berry, Joss Hong, Robyn Kay, Moya Deacon Radley, Adele Dubarry, Amber Emm, Lynette Fisher, Rosanne Croucher and Tanya Blong answer this question from their point of view. She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Michelle Reid - Painter | 18 Nov 2021 | 01:10:34 | |
Michelle Reid is a painter living in Riverhead, Auckland. She graduated with a Bachelor of Textile Design from Massey University in 2001 and worked in the textile industry for 8 years in both NZ and London. In 2019 she gained a Postgraduate Diploma from Elam School of Fine Arts with Distinction - at the same time as raising her 2 young children. An eclectic mix of written, visual, and intuitive information, inform her painting practise. Michelle is currently working with Romantic art theories, ideas of regrowth in the post-human ‘novel’ landscape, and reconnecting with pattern in painting. Michelle also draws much of her inspiration from American abstract expressionist painter Helen Frankenthaler. Michelle paints with oil on wood or reassembled canvas off-cuts, and watercolour on paper. Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/michellereid.studio/ Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/michellereid._studio
She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Creative Matters Q + A | 05 Nov 2021 | 00:38:41 | |
What impact has your creative making had on your everyday life? In this episode artists Marlon Hart, Tanya Blong, Gabriella Williams, Ingrid Boot, Guy Du Toit and Emma Springford-Gough (plus a little contribution from Mandy) answer this question from their point of view. She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Judith Milner - Painter | 01 Nov 2021 | 01:05:29 | |
EPISODE 27: Judith Milner is a portrait and figurative painter living in Auckland NZ. After studying law, psychology and art history at the University of Auckland, Judith worked as a commercial lawyer for 13 years before re-connecting with her love of painting while taking a break to focus on caring for her two young children. Judith has always been drawn to the quiet contemplation of portraiture: the opportunity to read a face, to reflect on the sitter’s interior and, through the process of painting, to try to capture something of their essential character, something more than a superficial likeness. She seeks to combine a naturalistic, descriptive approach with a more painterly and expressive style. Judith's figurative paintings are inspired by nostalgia for old, informal photographs, far removed from today’s highly doctored digital images that are immediately and continually available. Judith tells a fascinating story of her creative journey and shares insights into the ways she explores stories of the past, relationships, personalities, connections, equality and inclusion through her beautiful paintings. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/judithmilnerart Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/judithmilnerart
She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Guy Du Toit - Wood Artist | 29 Oct 2021 | 01:02:42 | |
Guy Du Toit is a wood artist living in Keri Keri NZ who creates unique and bespoke fine art pieces in rare native timbers. His fine wood art includes sculptures, jewellery, wood turned art pieces and traditional wood turned objects. Guy was born in South Africa and emigrated to New Zealand in 2015.
This talent lead him to be accepted to study at Ecole Escoulen wood turning school in France in 2018, as one of only 11 students in the full time course. "Like all crafts," says Guy, "wood art and wood turning is a continuous journey of learning and discovery. I am always learning more and I’m loving the journey!" You can see Guy's beautiful work on our blog https://www.creativematters.co.nz/blog-podcast and on his website https://guydutoit.com/ She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Vanessa Fong - Clay Jewellery Artist | 15 Oct 2021 | 01:09:10 | |
Vanessa is a young Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland artist who gained a fine arts degree at 20 years old and has worked in Art Galleries and art education since then. She is now 27 and celebrating ONE year in business selling her intricately handmade clay earrings through her Dewdrops brand, informed by her fine art practice in sculpture and installation and her love of painting. Vanessa started making earrings during the first COVID lockdown in 2020 as a creative hobby and suddenly found herself obsessed with polymer clay. Her website and first collection was launched in Spring 2020 and she received so much encouraging support, firstly from friends and family and then from further afield and she hasn’t looked back. A year ago Vanessa never imagined she would be stocking her creations in gallery shops, promoting herself and her brand, running workshops, managing a creative business, creating look books and newsletters to customers and selling her creations to people all over NZ. Vanessa’s story of her creative practice, process and business will be especially fascinating for young art students and people interested in starting a creative business, as well as creatives who love a good story and want to feel inspired. You can see her beautiful earrings on our blog https://www.creativematters.co.nz/blog-podcast and on her website https://www.dewdrops.co.nz/ She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Jannine Wilkinson and Ann Orman - Writer and Photographer | 08 Oct 2021 | 01:11:28 | |
Introducing - Spirit: Conversations with Creative Women IT ALL BEGAN WHEN….an idea was sparked between two friends, writer Jannine Wilkinson and photographer Ann Orman, to produce a book celebrating creative women in New Zealand. This week the result of this powerful union and vision comes to fruition, with the release of their book Spirit Conversations with Creative Women. Jannine and Ann worked their way across New Zealand to talk to and photograph 34 creative women and learn the stories of their life, their work and the challenges they have faced when following their passion. https://www.creativematters.co.nz/blog-podcast About your host: She worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - designing and delivering visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
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| Judy Darragh - Multi Media Artist | 16 Aug 2021 | 01:07:32 | |
Judy Darragh is a highly respected NZ artist renowned for her brightly coloured sculptural assemblages of recycled items, industrial materials and found objects, as well as video, collage, photography and poster art. She has exhibited widely since the 1980’s and is well known for her ambitious works which alter public spaces in incredible ways. Her works are held in numerous public and private collections and In 2004 the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa featured a major retrospective of her work entitled 'Judy Darragh: So... you made it?'. Judy lives and works in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, where she has played a significant role in the development of a number of artist-run spaces and has acted as mentor for a wide range of artists. She is also co-publisher of Femisphere, a long-term project interested in encouraging inclusivity and visibility of women's practices in the visual arts sector of Aotearoa.
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| Donna Massey - Painter | 04 Aug 2021 | 01:02:27 | |
Donna is an established full-time artist living and working in Riverhead, Auckland NZ. Her oil paintings are easily recognized for their vibrant crisp images and bold colours. It never occurred to Donna that she could have a career as an artist. She left school to work in a bank where she stayed for twenty years and it wasn't until 2004 that she discovered "what she wanted to be when she grew up” and she hasn’t looked back since. Donna’s love of New Zealand is evident in her painting. She is madly passionate about the outdoors, in particular, the ocean, and is always keen on an adventure. These activities take her to destinations around NZ that end up as motivation and inspiration for her paintings. Road trips are big on her agenda…she believes New Zealand has so many beautiful places to paint as well as the things she discovers in these landscapes such as old shacks, fishing boats, boat sheds and beehives. https://www.creativematters.co.nz/post/creative-matters-episode-22-with-donna-massey
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| Natalie Holland - Textile artist | 30 Jun 2024 | 01:16:33 | |
Natalie Holland is a textile artist from Wellington. She produces bright and colourful punch needle pieces that feature motifs and patterns used in hiapo (Niuean tapa cloth), linking to her Niuean heritage. Her works are made using 100% NZ wool and feature botanical and geometric elements in a wide range of often unexpected colour combinations. Natalie’s work enables her to reflect on the important women in her life and the impact the history of women’s making, sewing and crafting has had on her own creative development. The results are beautifully crafted and contemporary works that pay homage to the traditional design language of her Niuean heritage as well as to generations of women to whom making has been a fundamental part of everyday life. I absolutely adored talking to Natalie.We talk about how her hiapo inspired art has helped her to connect with her Niuean heritage and learn more about Nuie. It was only 2 years ago that Natalie started her art practice and in time started calling herself an artist. She explains how she started creating her punch needle works, what she has learnt over this time, how research has informed her developing practice, the goals she set for herself in her first year of making, how she put herself out there and her early success selling her work. We discuss the challenges of pricing work as a 'new' artist and the support she has sourced to help build her art career. Natalie goes into fascinating depth about punch needle stitches, framing, fabric, wool, lacing at the back of the work and how she comes up with her designs.
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| Ingrid Boot - Painter | 30 Jul 2021 | 01:14:10 | |
Ingrid is a painter influenced mainly by beauty as well as fashion history, fashion photography, movie icons and old things from the 20th century. Her paintings are all about style and elegance, portraying the beauty of the female form with a surreal, stylised realism. Ingrid lives in Orewa, north of Auckland and emigrated to NZ from the UK in 2000. Over the years Ingrid has explored other themes and subject areas that might seem unexpected. Ranging from classic cars to abstract works, they all share the same characteristic precision and attention to detail. Each work is the product of many stages of research, drawing, composition, creation and refinement. Often Ingrid will dream up the outfits worn on her ladies, placing great importance on every detail from the stitching on a dress to each jewel on a necklace. As a final touch, there is a unique element in all her paintings. If you look hard enough you will find a signature camouflaged illustration tucked away in each of her paintings. https://www.instagram.com/ingrid_boot_artist/
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| Gabriella Williams - Painter, Pen and Ink Artist | 23 Jul 2021 | 01:01:25 | |
Gabriella is an artist living in Auckland NZ. She has a super interesting story which I’m sure will be really inspiring to many of you, as despite living amongst creative people, trying out creative ventures over the years and having a creative career in education, it’s only now in her 50s her passion for art has been unleashed and she has developed her own art practice and now finally thinks of herself as an artist.. Her paintings often respond to the sea, skies and land of a favourite place, Muriwai Beach, where she spent many happy time as a young adult. Gabriella's work also responds to the beautiful architecture, objects, shapes and patterns discovered on her travels and particularly in her birthplace of Sicily, Italy. Gabriella Williams on the Creative Matters Blog https://www.creativematters.co.nz/post/creative-matters-episode-20-with-gabriella-williams
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| Mandy Flood - Contemporary Jeweller | 13 Jul 2021 | 01:09:59 | |
Mandy is a contemporary jeweller from Westmere, Auckland NZ. Mandy talks about her immigration to NZ from the UK, her time as an artist with Fingers, an iconic NZ Contemporary Jewellery Gallery, her mentorship within the Handshake Project and the development of her practice and process - amongst many other things!
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| Feeonaa Clifton - Multi-Disciplinary Artist | 10 Jul 2021 | 01:17:06 | |
Feeonaa Clifton (née Wall) is a multi-disciplinary artist and a mother of 3 children of Samoan, Swedish, German and English heritage, living at Muriwai Beach, North West of Auckland.. She has a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Pacific) / Diploma in Arts Administration, University of Auckland. Her work has explored indigenous histories and stories, her own identity, wellbeing, and environmental issues through the use of costume, body adornment, dance, poetry, ceremonial activations and more recently moving image. Fee has been a long-standing member of ‘Pacific Sisters’ a fashion activist art collective of artists, performers, fashion designers, jewellers and musicians established in 1992.
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| Arwen Flowers - Mixed Media Artist | 01 Jul 2021 | 01:05:53 | |
Arwen is a New Zealand-born mixed media artist, raised in the beautiful ranges, forests, and beaches of the West Coast of Auckland.
To communicate the curiosity she has for the human motivation and experience of exploration, navigation and migration across the South Pacific, she uses the printed markings on dressmaking patterns as a reference to cartography. Sourcing and using second-hand materials and creating poetry are part of her creative process and art-making ethos. The collages evolve naturally into combinations of craft and pattern which reflect her historical European ancestry and place of birth in the South Pacific.
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| Amber Emm - Painter | 24 Jun 2021 | 01:07:45 | |
Amber Emm is a full time artist from the North West of Auckland NZ, currently painting stunning photo realistic floral oil paintings that celebrate contrast, colour, detail and light. Amber took up painting in 1990 purely for pleasure and became a full time artist in 1995. Then In 1998 positive feedback from a painting demonstration encouraged her to start teaching. Her main inspiration has been boats, the seaside and the coastal fauna and flora of New Zealand. In the last 5 years she has turned her attention to the Garden and has rediscovered a driving passion to recreate the pockets of beauty which are in our own backyards. Amber tells a fascinating story from her days as a sign writer after high school to becoming a well known, well respected NZ artist. She has great tips about showing work, teaching and entrepreneurship and gives us a wonderful tour through her creative process.
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| Sharon Keightley - Quilt Maker and Pattern Designer | 09 Jun 2021 | 01:12:11 | |
Sharon is a passionate quilt pattern designer and quilt maker from Auckland NZ. A self confessed lover of reproduction fabrics, her favourite thing to do is 'Appliqué' using pieced blocks to complete the quilt. "I simply love to design and make quilts, for me it has been an absolute joy to share my patterns and my fondness of vintage and reproduction fabrics. Experimenting with this range of unique fabric styles allows me to add my own historical vision into my design work."
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| Emma Farry - Writer, Creative Maker | 07 Jun 2021 | 01:07:41 | |
Emma is a writer, photographer, creative maker and meditation practitioner. Her work is all about emotion, and the life of the spirit. She brings this awareness to her work with photography, books and soul stones. Each of her pieces is designed to start a conversation with the heart of the viewer. Emma writes her books and creates her soul stones at her studio overlooking Muriwai Beach and her writing and photography is inspired by the dynamic beauty that surrounds her. She gives thanks for the tangata whenua of Aotearoa and is grateful for the wisdom and guidance of Maoritanga in her country of birth. She draws strength from her rich Lebanese heritage as well as the Scottish determination and Celtic love for nature she inherited from her mum. Emma is a businesswoman and author who is passionate about spreading a message of unity, empathy and understanding. Emma enjoys a good laugh, often at her own expense.
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| Kiri Abraham - Painter, pencil and ink artist | 28 May 2021 | 00:51:32 | |
Kiri Abraham is an artist, mother, gardener, tramper and lover of nature who has lived and worked in Helensville (North West of Auckland NZ) for the past 15 years. She describes her art as ‘drawing’, although it includes painting, printing, stitch and more recently, cutting and burning. Drawing can be both a very simple process, and a complex, multi layered practise, and it is this diversity that attracts Kiri to the medium as a way of expression through mark making. She works by building up a bigger story through repeated intricate marks, the process being as integral to the piece as the finished outcome. Her work is slow, meditative and often physically challenging, and requires her to have a fully worked out concept before she begins a piece. Kiri’s work has themes of land and ecology at its core: Human connection to place through story and materials, and the reciprocity of care and protection between humans and the earth.
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| Anna Hanson - Textile, Rope and Embroidery Artist, Curator | 14 May 2021 | 01:04:56 | |
With over thirty years’ experience in the arts, as both a practitioner and curator, Anna Hanson strives to empower artists, champion the role of art in society, and transform widely-held perceptions of textile-based projects within the art arena. As a practitioner, Hanson’s work embraces the codes of embroidery ,ropes and textiles. She believes in art as an essential part of a healthy community and, wherever possible, aims to remove the terms ‘traditional’, ‘craft’ and ‘female’ from the art world’s vernacular. As a curator, Hanson sees her role as one of empowerment: providing artists with an environment and structure in which they are recognised, respected and fairly rewarded. Through her unwavering personal and professional focus, Hanson hopes to give both art and artists the essential platform they desire and deserve.
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| Yvonne Abercrombie - Contemporary artist | 23 Jun 2024 | 01:18:50 | |
Yvonne Abercrombie is a contemporary artist living in Helensville just north of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. Applying the figure to an abstract landscape is where Yvonne’s practice is situated. Yvonne combines personal narratives and imagination with an exploration and development of the painting process. It was so lovely for me to speak to someone I know quite well and a friend and discover so much about her work.In this episode Yvonne talks about her love of traditional hearty cooking and how that translates into her paintings and how she handles paint, and her love for dressing well and accessorising and how that contrasts with the use of colour in her work. We talk about how painting realistically felt disappointing to Yvonne, how she finally found her identity and ways to express her personal stories in a less realistic form during her masters degree and how she transitioned from studying painting at uni to managing her own painting practice and earning power. Yvonne describes her work as abstract figuration paintings - personal or reimagined narratives but not necessarily expressed in the traditional way, that develop organically. Largely about the human condition, existence, who and what we are. She shares why she likes to paint the naked form, exposing rawness and vulnerability and symbolising the narrative. Yvonne goes into great detail about her painting process, which is fascinating, and her yearning and drive to create something she has never seen before. We discuss how she landed into community art spaces, how working in these diverse artistic environments contributes to her art practice and the benefits she sees in community art galleries. Yvonne is showing her latest work in a joint show entitled Reimagined by the Muse, which opens this week on June 25th and runs until July 10th 2024, at The Frame Workshop and Gallery in Herne Bay Auckland.
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| Emma Springford-Gough - Painter | 06 May 2021 | 01:05:56 | |
Artist Emma Springford-Gough grew up in West Auckland NZ and has lived in Huapai for the last 11 years with her husband, 3 kids, dog, cat and a handful of fish. Making art, drawing specifically, has always been a great part of Emma’s life. She loves drawing and finds it a raw and immediate form of expression. She uses drawing as a tool for documenting objects and interiors that surround her. Ink and brush is her fav medium, but really anything will do in her eyes. Embroidery is another medium Emma embraces as a form of drawing. She finds working with fabric and stitched line such a raw and feminine way to explore an object or idea. Emma has been working on painted ship portraits for the last few years, exploring the nostalgic relationships NZers have with sailing and shipping vessels.
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| Jago Neal - Painter, Illustrator, Photographer | 02 May 2021 | 01:09:01 | |
Jago Neal is a mixed media artist, illustrator and photographer originally from London. He now resides in West Auckland New Zealand. Jago has a small studio at home which also serves as a darkroom. He often incorporates photography into his practice or integrates it with other methods of drawing, collage or painting. "I draw, paint and photograph the world as a form of expression, to help make sense of it, to stay calm and to feed my imagination and my soul. The work I create and the media I use depends on my mood, my environment, my time and what I want to achieve. I try not to pigeon hole myself into a box or category as that would limit my art and my enjoyment of it."
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| Amanda Jakich - Multi-Disciplinary Artist | 24 Apr 2021 | 01:08:54 | |
Amanda Jakich (Mandy) is a self taught abstract painter and the Founder and CEO of Creative Matters. She is the proud mother of 2 young adults (with a grand baby on the way) and lives with her husband George at Muriwai Beach, North West of Auckland. Mandy's work responds to her surroundings, particularly to the seas, skies, land and nature of her home place Muriwai Beach NZ. She is drawn to simple form and design, colour and composition and enjoys experimenting with different materials, ideas and tools. This podcast episode sees the tables turned - Mandy is the host of the Creative Matters podcast and is the one being interviewed this time, by our very first podcast guest and good friend artist Tanya Blong. Listen to this episode to hear about Mandy's life, business and art practice and other heartfelt little moments Tanya manages to dig up!
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| Marion Stutz - Painter | 15 Apr 2021 | 01:00:27 | |
Marion Stutz is a painter living in Huapai, Auckland NZ. In the last 5 years she has gone from being a creative interested in art with a great appreciation for all things arty and a love of making to a practising artist who already has her first solo show under her belt.
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| Catrina Lloyd - Painter | 07 Apr 2021 | 00:57:08 | |
Catrina is an abstract painter from Muriwai Beach, North West of Auckland, with a passion for interpreting the many layers of her natural environment.
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| Marlon Hart - Illustrator | 31 Mar 2021 | 01:01:07 | |
Marlon Hart is an illustrator/artist with a background in advertising and art direction. As well as animal wrangling, yoga, karate and acting! Go Marlon! He has lived in Muriwai for 30 years. He spent his childhood growing up in Vancouver, Canada, which instilled in him a great love of nature, and culturally, left a lasting impression. Working in advertising as an art director and illustrator for more than three decades, Marlon has honed his fine art practice using a wide range of styles and artistic mediums. Marlon is currently working on a series of graphic artworks inspired by his Canadian and NZ cultural connections as well as the animals he loves from both of these countries, from Grizzly Bears to Piwakawaka, Moose to Tui - all telling stories from Marlon's fascinating life.
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| Liz Smith - Embroidery Artist | 25 Mar 2021 | 01:02:11 | |
Liz Smith is an embroidery artist living in Muriwai Beach, Auckland NZ. Her business The Stitchsmith NZ brings you fresh, new designs for needlepoint cushion/pillow kits, cross stitch and embroidery kits and patterns. Most of Liz's designs are drawn from the wonderful scenery in New Zealand where she lives and she is constantly inspired by the local flora and fauna here. She loves birds and a lot of her designs feature the gorgeous native birds that live in her garden and in the forest nearby. at Muriwai Beach. See her work on our blog:
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| Amanda Kemp - Ceramic Artist, Painter | 25 Mar 2021 | 01:06:18 | |
Amanda is a long-term Muriwai Beach resident, a ceramicist and a painter. She specializes in hand-built sculpture, often in the form of jewellery and wall installations. Amanda prefers natural, found or recycled materials and makes in traditional ways when possible, such as pit firing with combustibles collected from the beach.
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| Mette Hay - Installation Artist | 24 Mar 2021 | 01:09:17 | |
Immersive installations that almost "use sound as a new way of seeing," drawing inspiration from nature, sound vibrations and materials. Join us for a wonderfully therapeutic conversation with installation and textile artist Mette Hay.
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| Kylie Rusk - Painter, Printmaker | 15 Mar 2021 | 00:55:49 | |
Kylie is a printmaker (lithography) and painter, inspired by the land, sea and skies of New Zealand. Hear her story from a farm in Hukerenui to Elam - a prestigious Art School in Auckland, her printmaking and painting process and her fascinating journey to becoming a full time artist.
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| Rachael Errington - Visual artist | 20 Jun 2024 | 01:07:59 | |
Rachael Errington is a visual artist living, working and exhibiting in both New Zealand and Australia. She has been showing her paintings professionally for over 20 years, and has had 40 major solo exhibitions to date. Rachael grew up living in the middle of an English wood, where she and her brother spent most of their time making dens and treehouses. It is undoubtedly this experience that created her fascination with painting trees. Her work is inspired by colours in nature and the way light filters through flora, creating emotive connections for the viewer, encouraging them to ‘feel’ something that is peaceful, wistful and calming. It was such a pleasure meeting the wonderfully vivacious Rachael. Her positive outlook on life and her approach to her art business and painting practice is really inspiring. She has some great tips for artists and valuable insights for us all after experiencing a traumatic health event in 2020. Rachel goes into fascinating depth about her painting practice: how she paints her entire canvas black before starting a painting; how her underpainting becomes a simple landscape with a light point which are beautiful in themselves; how she creates the sculptural elements in her trees; how she adds in the light rays and mists at the end and why she loves to paint big. You can see her current solo show Memoirs from Nature on now at Art Bay Gallery in Queenstown, running from June 19th - July 3rd 2024.
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| Tanya Blong - Painter, Sculptor | 08 Mar 2021 | 00:59:40 | |
Tanya is a full time artist and a mother of one, living at Muriwai Beach, North West of Auckland NZ. Tanya shares many insightful thoughts and ideas and I'm quite sure you will find something in her story to inspire and inform your creative journey or your life in general. She discusses her childhood, her private inner world, her travel, her art studies, her sculpture and painting, her process and her art practice. And she even has a big secret to share with us! You can click on the link below to listen or subscribe and listen to CREATIVE MATTERS on your favourite podcast platform to receive our weekly episodes with other NZ artists.
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| Tim Jones: Contemporary painter | 16 Jun 2024 | 01:16:17 | |
Tim Jones is a contemporary painter born in the UK and living in Matakana New Zealand. He creates bold abstract paintings through the use of strong gestural mark making. Driven by inquiry, and with evocative reference to the natural environment, colour and painterly form are intertwined and steeped in rhythm and movement. Tim talks about how he has always liked to draw and paint and also take photographs and how his background travelling extensively, diving and working on super yachts has ultimately informed his art practice. He shares his intuitive painting process, the worlds he creates in his work and what they mean to him. We talk about NFT scams and the merits and downsides of social media, how his identity has been stolen more than once on Instagram and the difficulty he has had resolving this issue. He shares how he sometimes experiences imposter syndrome as a self taught artist and how he deals with that. We discuss Tim's current solo show Quo Vadis at Parnell Gallery in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland and we explore some of the works within the exhibition. Quo Vadis is on now and runs until June 25th 2024.
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| Zoë Nash: Multi-disciplinary artist | 09 Jun 2024 | 01:40:21 | |
Zoë Nash is a multidisciplinary artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. Her brightly coloured, abstract works explore a slow and mindful accumulation of repeated and highly detailed mark making. Reflecting her love of nature, Zoë’s works increasingly draw on selected plant and flower motifs as inspiration. Frequently initiated by things seen, things spoken, or things remembered, narrative and nostalgia are also used to trigger personal connection with viewers. After taking some art classes with Zoë at Browne School of Art, it was a real privilege to talk to her and get to know her and her practice a little better. Zoë speaks about the 'round about way' she came to design and the fine arts arena and her challenging time completing a masters degree in fine arts without having an art practice at the time, and how she didn't make art for 4 years after this experience. We discuss her identity crisis at the age of 30 as a British born woman who had lived in NZ for as long as she'd lived in the UK and how this translated into her fine arts study, which focused on identity, the use of autobiography and the role of female narratives. Zoë talks about how renting her own art studio finally kick started her art practice again and why her work became so connected to nature. She shares the ideas behind the presence of dots and repeated marks in her work and how that can be therapeutic and sometimes reflects her own personal stories. AND Zoë has the best list yet of artists and reasons why they have inspired her and informed her practice.
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